The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Telugu Desam chants unity mantra

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Monday, May 30, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Telugu Desam chants unity mantra

Special Correspondent

Prepared for any sacrifice, says Chandrababu Naidu; calls for all-party action

ENGROSSED: The TDP president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, with the party leaders, T. Devender Goud, K. Yerrannaidu and M.V. Mysoora Reddy, at the Mahanadu in Hyderabad on Sunday . -Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party has once again plumped for the integrated State, rejecting the demand for separate Telangana and called for all-party action, to preserve the unity.

Speaking on the resolution on the subject which was later adopted on the second day of the Mahanadu, the party president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, declared that the party was prepared to make any sacrifice for protecting the unity of the State.

"We speak in one language and we have a similar culture. There is no reason for the formation of a separate State. The demand for a separate State in the past and now was basically political and for political jobs," he added, listing the efforts made by the party for development of Telangana and other backward areas.

Call to Left

Moving the resolution, the party vice-president, Ch. Rajeswara Rao, traced the history of the Telugus, their fight for cultural identity and formation of linguistic State. He gave a call to the Left parties and the Congress to come on a single platform with the Telugu Desam to protect the unity of the State.

Shobha Rani, who joined the TDP from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, a few months ago, decried the demand for separate Telangana. When a delegate, Narsi Reddy, began criticising the Union Minister, K. Chandrasekhara Rao at a personal level, Mr. Naidu stopped him in his tracks. But he gave some more time to him following a vociferous demand from the delegates.

On irrigation, two resolutions were adopted accusing the Government with reducing "jalayagnam," to "dhana yaganam." There were no proper designs, no water, no clearances and no funds. Moving the resolutions, Kadiam Srihari and Sana Maruthi, said the Congress had carried out "a false propaganda" that the TDP had neglected irrigation. It had created a new ayacut of 12 lakh acres and stabilised 18 lakh acres. They said the Chief Minister was reluctant to take up the projects issue with Maharashtra and Karnataka, as he was scared of losing his post.

Stir warned

Addressing the delegates, Mr. Naidu warned that his party would launch an agitation to protect the State's interests.

The meeting also adopted another resolution accusing the ruling party of delaying the elections to local bodies. Mr. Naidu said the Government was planning to hold indirect elections to municipalities as the Chief Minister was afraid of defeat in case of direct elections. His party would also oppose re-introduction of the "patel/ patwari system."

Naidu's charge

Mr. Naidu poured scorn on the State Government by dubbing it as a "demonic regime" and urged the Election Commission to take stringent action against the Panchayat Raj Minister, J. C. Diwakar Reddy, and Agriculture Minister, N.Raghuveera Reddy, for alleged violation of the election code in Penukonda Assembly constituency. In a speech at the ongoing Mahanadu, which was marked by anger, where a resolution on the issue was adopted by deviating from the listed agenda, he charged the Government with converting the byelection into a "farce" and making a mockery of democracy. Though EC had issued notices to the two Ministers, they were "terrorising the people." The Commission should recall the two Ministers, he said.

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